Noam Chomsky, a renowned American political activist and philosopher, has accused the United States and its Western allies of knowing about but choosing to turn a blind eye to Saudi Arabia’s support for terrorist groups.

In an interview with Lebanese Al-Mayadeen television channel on Saturday, Chomsky said Riyadh is engaged in spreading extremist outfits, something the US and the West are prepared to ignore.

He said the US, Britain, and France are well aware that Saudi Arabia is using money to increase its leverage in the region, apparently referring to financial support by the Riyadh regime for militant groups operating in the Middle East.

Saudi Arabia is widely believed to be providing support for militant groups operating against legitimate governments in Syria and Iraq as well as for terrorists conducting sporadic attacks in Europe and the US.

Most groups radicalizing people in the Middle East as well as the West are believed to be directly affiliated with Wahhabism. It is the main ideological feature of Takfiri terrorist groups — particularly Daesh — which declare people of other faiths and beliefs as “infidels” and, based on “decrees” from Saudi “clerics,” rule that they should be killed.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Chomsky said the US was against the establishment of democracy in Arab dictatorships in the Middle East following a series of revolutions and uprisings in such countries that began in 2011.

He said most people in the region oppose American foreign policy, and dissent in Arab dictatorships with which the US has good ties is quickly suppressed.

He also said that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict will continue as long as the US continues to provide unlimited support for the Tel Aviv regime.

“As long as occupation continues, things will take a turn for the worse, too. As long as the US invariably supports Israel, there will be no kind of pressure to change the policy of occupation,” he said.